High on a hill above an arc of golden sand lies this dazzling small resort of 42 villas, staggered up the slope to ensure maximum privacy and space for each. Clever landscaping has turned the rooftops into living gardens, so you gaze out across grasses and wild flowers rather than concrete, all the way to the glorious blue Aegean.
Ideal for romantics, groups of friends and families, Eagles Villas are a luxurious off-shoot of the Eagles Palace hotel at the bottom of the hill. Staying here means you get to use their impressive facilities (excellent kids clubs, 4 restaurants, a spa, endless watersports) but you might struggle to leave this exclusive enclave in the first place. Fantasic staff deserve a glowing review of their own, and the cocktail bar's terrace is perfectly positioned for spectacular sunsets. But it's the decor that really impressed us: bang on-trend, with designer chairs, huge potted palms, wicker and rattan, marine hues and high-spec everything. Upmarket and oh-so-Instagrammable...
Highs
- Stunning panoramic sea views and very peaceful; ideal for unwinding from everyday stress
- Stylish villas loaded with little luxuries, in various sizes and configurations
- A blissful infinity pool, and heated indoor pool and gym, plus massages and beauty treatments
- Flexibility: you can eat at the excellent on-site restaurant, have meals delivered to your alfresco terrace, or wander down to the Eagles Palace restaurants
- Lots to do - sail to secluded coves, kayak with the kids and visit Byzantine monasteries
Lows
- All this luxury doesn't come cheap
- Not right on the beach, but there are golf carts to whizz you down there
- A 5-night minimum stay all season (April-October)
- A couple of the Eagles Palace restaurants are only open June-Sept
Best time to go
The villas are open April-October. The shoulder months of April, May, Sept and Oct are our favourite; nicely warm, but not too hot. If you're planning to come during school summer holidays, book well ahead and be mindful that it does get very hot and busy; late-August to early-September is a bit quieter, if you can come then.
Our top tips
Upmarket Kamares at Eagles Palace sounds divine for a special-occasion meal. Its gourmet-Greek flavours include stuffed squid with fennel and gruyere; cuttlefish ink pasta, then crispy baklava with pistachio ice cream. Book ahead.
- Boutique Resort
- 42 rooms
- Restaurant & bar (open daily)
- All ages welcome
- Closed: November-March
- Pools
- Sauna
- Beach Nearby
- Pet Friendly
- Disabled Access
- Car recommended
- Parking
- Restaurants Nearby
- WiFi
- Air Conditioning
- Guest Lounge
- Terrace
- Garden
- Gym
- Tennis Court
Rooms
Modern and attractive, the 42 villas are split into various categories, some romantic boltholes, some with 2 or 3 bedrooms for families and groups. All share the same understated seaside aesthetic: whitewashed walls, geometric and botanical cushions, jute rugs on cream-tiled floors and fresh leaves in glass vases. Sheets are changed daily, and bathrooms gleam - housekeeping is taken extremely seriously. There's plenty of room to unpack - larger villas even have dressing rooms - and kingsize beds are wrapped in cooling linens.
If you have kids or extra guests in the smaller villas, they (or you) will need to sleep on the sofabed in the lounge area, but seeing as you'll spend most of your time outdoors anyway, it's hardly an issue. Step through sliding doors and you'll find a cool stone patio, wooden deck with outdoor shower and a private plunge pool (bigger than you'd expect). They're gently heated so you can spend hours bobbing around, gazing out to sea.
Some villas have a stretch of lawn and/or hammocks, and all have indoor and outdoor dining areas. A butler (!) can be summoned at the touch of a bell, whether you want a buggy down to the beach or a takeaway dinner from the restaurant.
Features include:
- Air conditioning
- Bathrobes
- Hairdryer
- Minibar
- Plunge pool
- Radio
- Safe box
- Toiletries
- TV
- WiFi
- Wine fridge
Eating
Stroll up the hill and you'll find the relaxed restaurant in the main building. Lofos garners praise for its superb Mediterranean buffets, including breakfast, which is included in your overnight rate - scrambled eggs with caviar, anyone? Start or finish your meal with an inventive cocktail in the Cabin bar - perhaps a Gin Basil with mango foam.
Down at Eagles Palace hotel, there are a further 4 restaurants (a couple of them only open June-Sept). Our favourite was Armyra - a casual beachside bistro with just-caught seafood.
Each villa has a kitchenette with a minibar, Nespresso and wine-cooler fridge. Electric hobs are available on request.
Features include:
- Bar
- Beach club
- Breakfast
- Coffee maker
- Kids' meals
- Kitchenette
- Restaurant
- Restaurants nearby
- Room service
Activities
- Simply unwind. Read in a hammock, bob about in your plunge pool, sunworship by the infinity pool or have a sauna and massage
- Head down to sister hotel Eagles Palace for excellent Kids clubs and watersports: diving, kayaking, boat trips, wake-boarding, water-skiing and pedalos. There are 3 sections of beach to relax on, too
- Book a sailing excursion to Amouliani Island or hire a motor boat and find your own sandy cove. Keep your eyes peeled for wild dolphins as you cruise
- Catch the free shuttle or hire bikes and cycle into Ouranoupolis, a charming village with a fishing harbour and fortified Byzantine tower. Traditional shops sell locally produced goods
- Males can day trip to the spectacular monasteries of Mount Athos - the men-only monastic republic established in 963, a Unesco site (you'll need to apply for a visa well in advance)
Activities on site or nearby include:
- Cycling
Kids
Families are warmly welcomed. Children will love the private plunge pools in each villa as well as the communal heated pools, indoors and out. Both restaurants have a child-friendly menu (as do all the restaurants at Eagles Palace hotel). Down at the beach there are watersports and excellent Kids clubs, both part of the hotel.
Best for:
Babies (0-1 years), Toddlers (1-4 years), Children (4-12 years)
Family friendly accommodation:
All Pool Villas will work for families. Even the Junior Villas have day beds for a child and can take a baby cot. The one-bedroomed can take two kids on a double sofa bed, while the two and three-bedroomed villas would be best if you want additional bedrooms and can have a maximum of four adults/kids and two adults/kids.
Children's meals:
A kids' menu in both restaurants
Kids Activities on site:
- Heated swimming pools
- Tennis courts
Kids Activities nearby:
- Beach
- Kayaking
- Windsurfing
- Sailing
- Waterskiing
- Kite surfing
- Pedalos
- Snorkelling and boat trips
Families Should Know:
No pools are fenced
Distances:
- Airport: 2 hours' drive (Thessaloniki)
- Shops: 5 minutes' drive (Ouranoupolis)
- Hospital: 1 hour's drive (Polygyros)
For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection
Location
Eagles Villas is part of the Eagles Palace resort, just outside the village of Ouranoupolis on the 3rd peninsula of Chalkidiki (Halkidiki), mainland Greece. It’s 2 hours' drive from Thessaloniki and its airport.
By Air:
Fly into Thessaloniki (129km away), the hub for northern Greece, or Kavala (211km).
From the Airport
The hotel can arrange transfers or you can hire a car. The hotel has a car park.
Detailed directions will be sent when you book through i-escape.
Airports:
- Thessaloniki International 129.0 km SKG
- Kavala 221.0 km KBA
Other:
- Beach 0.5 km
- Shops 1.5 km
- Restaurant 1.5 km